EURweb |
COLLEGE ZONE: College Prep Starts Earlier Than You Think
*There is an old adage; you’ve probably heard numerous times: “Success is when preparation meets opportunity”. Regardless of whether your child is just starting preschool or preparing to segue out of elementary into middle school, it is never too early to begin preparing for college. Many students and parents are surprised to learn that the key to preparing for college starts well before you graduate to the big leagues of high school.
The roadmap many colleges and universities use to gauge whether or not you’ve met the minimum requirements for admissions is known as college preparatory level courses. They include minimum courses taken in Math, English, Science, Foreign Language, History, Community Service and Extra-Curricular Activities. Unfortunately, many students find out too late that they have not enrolled in the proper college level classes until well into their high school years. Both parents and children can benefit from knowing early on a few tips about how to develop a college prep plan.
Tip #1: Start Early
Develop a relationship with your child’s counselor during middle school to ensure he or she is taking college preparatory classes. A good counselor can be a valuable resource on the college prep curriculum offered at your child’s school as well as partnership programs with colleges that essentially track and assist students endeavoring to attend college.
Schedule some time to meet with your child’s counselor before the school year begins to develop a course plan for their first year in middle school. Some universities even consider Foreign languages, English and Math courses taken while in 7th and 8th as a plus on the college application so be sure to ask if these college prep level courses are offered. Middle school counselors also liaison with their counterparts at the neighboring high school and they often are aware of curriculum changes that can affect your child before they reach high school.
Tip #2: Monitor Your Child’s Progress
If Johnny has gone from getting “As” to “Cs” it is probably the onset of the hormone craze that thrusts pre-teens into an abyss of confusion and willy-nilly behavior. Adolescence is a tough time for students and often their grades bear the brunt. Keeping an open line of communication with teachers and especially your child can help ward off the dreaded boy/girl craze so often associated with the middle school years.
Know the dates for when teachers issue progress and grade reports. If you notice a downward dip in your child’s grades, it is easier to develop an early intervention program at the first sign of trouble rather than waiting until bad grades have become the norm.
Tip #3: Get Some Help
See if your child’s school offers any Early Academic Outreach Programs. These programs, which are often free of charge, monitor and track students to ensure they are taking the required college preparatory courses. Some programs accept students as early as elementary school and provide on-site tutoring and mentoring programs delivered by college student volunteers. The real kicker with Early Outreach Programs is that many are levered to local universities who set aside a limited number of slots for students who have successfully completed the entire outreach program. Students sometimes take field trips to the sponsoring College or Universities’ campus and get a chance to interact with students as well as professors. This type of field- trip creates a real-world experience for your child and enables him/her to see, touch, and feel what it is like to be a college student.
Tip #4: Provide Some Incentives for Your Child
Who doesn’t want to be recognized for a job well done? Going to school everyday, getting good grades, staying off drugs and out of trouble however much expected is still an accomplishment we need to acknowledge in our children. Being smart is cool. When Samantha’s grades improve from C’s to A’s, she should be recognized for that achievement. Your acknowledgement as a parent doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. These are some ideas on how to honor her hard work: Make her favorite dish for dinner, make her “Queen for The Day” and let her skip doing some chores around the house, write a special letter to her, praising her achievements and read it out loud at the family dinner table. Whatever you choose to do as a parent, make it special and motivational.
Remember the early bird gets the worm or in this case the letter of acceptance.
Each week I’ll write about college-centric topics that are informative, witty, inspirational and above all intended to give you “The Edge”. Until then…Carpe Diem!
Regina Thomas is the founder of College Admissions Counselors; a private, one-on-one admissions coaching service that assists high school students and working professionals with the college application process. She has a Master of Education Degree from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from the University of California, Berkeley. Regina is happy to answer your college related questions. Send your inquiries to regina@yourcollegeworld.com.
Share and Bookmark |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
